Manager Keith Boanas has added to Chatham Town Women’s backroom staff ahead of the start of the new season - bringing in his wife!

Boss Boanas will start his first full campaign with Chats as they begin life in National League Division 1 South East after relegation last term at home this Sunday.

During the summer, attacker Jess King, who’s formerly of Liverpool, Everton and Charlton, has come on board as player-coach alongside Boanas’ partner - ex-England international keeper Pauline Cope.

Boanas said: “Some of the players we have recruited are more than capable of playing in that higher league.

“I have added a couple more staff members, as well. My wife has come on board.

“Her experience as an England international will make a difference and I have signed Jess King as player-coach.

“Jess is also still a very talented player.

“With people like her, alongside some of the younger players I’ve signed, as well as those we have got from our own Academy, we have got a good blend.

“There will be a couple of games against the likes of Norwich and Real Bedfont that will be really tough tests, in particular.

“But I definitely believe we will be in that mix.

“The aim will be to get promoted but a downside to that is only one team gets promoted.

“I have agreed with Kev Hake (chairman), at certain points, to chat with him and assess how we are doing.

“The team does feel like it’s my team.

“On the field - and off it, as well - the atmosphere and the environment is still really positive.”

Asked about the prospect of working with his wife, Boanas highlighted the importance of having female coaches around in the women’s game.

He said: “I’ve done it before when she was my goalkeeper at Charlton.

“We talk football a lot anyway - she’s a West Ham season-ticket holder and I’m a Man United fan!

“The fact we’re so passionate about our football means we don’t argue that much about it, as well. We have very similar mindsets.

“People like Copey, Jess King and Grace Coombs, who we have retained as captain, are going to be so important.

“As male coaches, we need to hold our hands up at times and say we don’t know absolutely everything. It’s nice to have female coaches around.

“It doesn’t mean one is right and one is wrong - it’s about having that option and having different people with different experiences around.

“We feel that we have got a really good blend but the proof will be in the pudding.”

Chatham ended their run of warm-up games with an 8-0 weekend win against Ashford
United with goals from Ciara Hynes (3), Amelia Woodgate (2), Maddison Woodgate (2) and Otesha Charles.

The vastly-experienced boss said: “It’s probably been a better pre-season than I could have hoped for.

“I was hopeful anyway but it’s gone even better than I could have expected.

“The games have gone the way I was hoping they would. We have played against higher-level teams - and one that’s an equivalent level in a different league.

“I’m happy with the way it’s gone, I’ve managed to get minutes into a lot of players.

“I’m just waiting to complete some dual-registration signings and then we’re ready to go.”

AFC Sudbury are scheduled to be the first league visitors to the Bauvill Stadium.

Asked what he knew about them, Boanas replied: “Honestly? Not a lot.

“My analysts are looking at that. They’re a very well-known club with a good youth set-up.

“Last season, they were kind of inconsistent. You can look at that but it’s not really a barometer because you don’t know what they have done in the close season.

“That’s my analysts’ job for this week.

“But the main focus for us will be to make sure that they have to worry about us.”